As notebook and palmtop computers became more prevalent, the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association ("PCMCIA") adopted an industry standard setting forth size and interface requirements for credit card-like memory and input/output devices. Since the adoption of the PCMCIA standard, the computer industry has produced various memory and interface devices compatible with the standard.
As more PCMCIA cards become available, users of notebook and palmtop computers find it convenient to have a device for storing PCMCIA cards. Typically, computer users store PCMCIA cards in single plastic cases. These single cases are unsatisfactory because they do not enable the user to organize and conveniently carry several PCMCIA cards. There is a need, thus, to develop a multiple section card case for conveniently storing several PCMCIA cards.
To address this need, the present invention provides a multiple section card case with a plurality of interchangeable case sections. In the preferred embodiment, the case sections are interchangeably coupled to adjacent sections at common axes between the adjacent sections. The case sections are coupled such that the sections may rotate to open and close about the common axes between adjacent case sections.
In greater detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a top piece, a bottom piece and any number of intermediate pieces coupled between the top and bottom pieces. Each piece, desirably made of a molded transparent plastic, is interchangeably coupled to adjacent pieces at corresponding pairs of pegs and holes. Forming a common axis between adjacent pieces, the pegs and holes enable one to rotate the pieces away from or toward each other. To adjust the capacity of the case, one may flex the plastic such that the pegs may be removed from the holes and then easily snapped back into place. The multiple section case includes several storage sections formed by cavities, and the walls and planar surfaces of each piece. The invention, thus, provides an adjustable multisection card case.
The present invention has several advantages over the single storage case. The multiple section card case may store any number of cards by simply coupling a desired number of card sections. Since each case section is coupled to an adjacent section, the multiple section card case prevents individual cards from becoming separated or lost. Each case section is equally accessible because one may open and close a case section without disturbing the other case sections.
While this disclosure specifically describes a multisection card case for storing PCMCIA cards, it should be understood that the invention may include a multisection storage case for storing substantially planar objects including, but not limited to, compact discs, floppy discs, cassettes, etc.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.